social affair
- noun
- Formal
:
evento social
- Tell me, Mr. Wick, is this a formal event or a social affair?
Examples
-
The company hosted a lavish social affair to celebrate its anniversary, inviting all its employees and partners.
-
Many people look forward to the annual social affair organized by the local charity to raise funds for community projects.
-
Empower students to participate in community and social affairs.
Academic text (2007) -
To improve the education of elementary school students, during the next few months, the ministers of the departments of education and social affairs intend to provide more specific guidelines for preschool activities.
Academic text (1997) -
Joyce further added that in making contact with vulnerable groups, students had the chance to rethink their lifestyles, social rights and responsibilities, and their roles in society, which would prepare them for more active lives in community and social affairs when they grew up.
Academic text (2007) -
On 23 October 1947, he presented the formal petition to M. Henri Laugier, assistant secretary general for social affairs, and John P. Humphrey, director of the division of human affairs, at UN offices in Lake Success, New York.
Academic text (1997) -
Tove Gerhardsen had been the Social Affairs Minister under Brundtland from 1986 to 1989 and Labor and Administration Minister from 1990 but was purged from the cabinet for her anti-Err views in September 1992.
Academic text (1997) -
At the gala, attendees mingled and enjoyed entertainment during the social affair held in the grand ballroom.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
An event where people meet to celebrate, eat, and have fun
267
3.7
A formal social event with food, music, and speeches
253
2.6
A large formal dance where people wear elegant clothes
203
1.0
A meeting of people for a social or special purpose
167
3.3
A formal party after a ceremony to welcome guests
74
4.2
A formal social event such as a party or ceremony
23
7.5
An evening party at someone's home
19
1.9
A gathering where people meet to talk and enjoy themselves
15
1.6
A friendly meeting where people talk and have fun
7
2.7
An event where people meet to talk and spend time together
4
4.1
A large school dance where people wear dress clothes
4
3.5
A formal event where people meet for a special purpose
3
2.8
An event where people meet to celebrate or spend time together
1
4.4
A large important event with ceremony and celebration
1
6.0
A fancy formal party with entertainment to celebrate or raise money
1
4.9
A formal gathering with planned rituals to mark an important event
Antonyms
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'social' (relating to social interaction) modifies 'affair' (a social event), so the combined meaning of a social event or gathering is directly derivable from the parts. This compositional pattern is common across languages and follows standard English adjective-noun rules, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.
Etymology
Social affair may come from the simple idea that social means people coming together and affair means an important 'event' or 'matter'. So, imagining people meeting for one important 'event' helps explain why social affair now means a formal 'gathering' or party.